Intelsat achieves historic satellite life-extension milestone

In McLean, Virginia, on April 9, 2025, Intelsat announced the successful completion of a life-extension mission for its Intelsat 901 satellite. This mission allowed the satellite to provide an additional five years of reliable service to its users by utilizing a Mission Extension Vehicle developed by Northrop Grumman. The MEV first docked with the satellite in February 2020, enabling it to take over propulsion functions once the Intelsat 901's original propellant was depleted, allowing for an extended operational life. Through the successful completion of the MEV-1 mission, Intelsat became the first satellite operator in the world to perform such an operation, solidifying its position as a leader in satellite sustainability and innovation. By decommissioning the Intelsat 901 satellite into a graveyard orbit after its nearly 24 years of operation, Intelsat has demonstrated its commitment to responsible space management and paving the way for advancements in satellite life-extension technology. Jean-Luc Froeliger, Senior Vice President of Space Systems at Intelsat, highlighted the collaboration and technological achievement that made this mission possible. The extension of service not only benefits Intelsat’s customers within the Network, Media, and Mobility sectors but also signifies a commercial success that can strengthen future partnerships and projects in satellite servicing. Following the success of MEV-1, Intelsat has partnered with Northrop Grumman again to use MEV-2 for extending the life of Intelsat 10-02, which remains operational. Intelsat continues to explore opportunities for next-generation satellite life-extension projects, contributing to its legacy of innovation in the satellite industry for over sixty years, and responding to the evolving challenges faced in space sustainability and connectivity.